Catamenial appliance.



Patented uw. 2. |902.

No. 715, HZ.'

T. MINARD.

CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE.

(Application med Aug. 29, 1902.

(lo Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THERESA MINARD, OF SCIO, OHIO.

CATAM ENIAL APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nc. 715,1 12, dated December 2, 1902.

duplication filed August 29, 1902. Serial No. 121,509. (No model.)

To all whom', it may concern:

Be it known that I, THERESA MINARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scio, in the county of Harrison and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oatamenial Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides a novel means for retention of the catamenia and which can be worn without causing any annoyance, discomfort, or interference with the clothing and which will admit of the cloth being readily disconnected from or attached to the belt for any purpose whatsoever, pins and buckles being dispensed with because of their liability to effect injury and the difficulty usually eX- perienced in forcing pins and the buckletongues through the layers or folds of the cloth.

For a full descriptionof the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the detailsofconstruction of the means for eecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

Vhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred em bodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of an appliance embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the cloth prior to folding, the dotted lines indicating the several folds. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a fastener' for connecting an end of the cloth to the belt.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The belt comprises, essentially,two sections 1 and 2, designated, respectively, as the front7 and back, said sections being connected at corresponding ends by means of pieces of elastic 3 to allow for contraction and expansion without creating injurious pressure. The belt is provided in standard sizes or may be adapted tothe girth of the wearer by any of the well-known means. The sections l and 2 are counterparts and are depressed or downwardly deflected midway of their ends for convenience, comfort, and to equalize the strain imposed upon the belt when in service.

An end 4 is connected to the lower edge of the middle or depressed portion of each section by means of an elastic 5 and is provided with a fastener for attachment of the cloth 6. The ends 4 occupy a central position and are pendent from the belt in front and rear, so as to receive the ends of the cloth. The ends 4 are preferably constructed of textile, so as to conform to the person and obviate injury and discomfort.

The fastener consists, essentially, of two loops 7 and 8 of corresponding size and shape constructed of 4lengths of spring-wire bent into an approximately U form and having the terminals of the side members bent inward to provide eyes 9, through which a rod l0 passes, said rod being preferably a length of wire secured in a fold provided at the lower end of each part 4 and having its terminals bent into eyes to retain the rod and the loops iu proper relation to each other and to the part 4. In practice the end portions of the cloth 6 are passed through both loops, thence around the lower end of the loop '7, upward between the two loops, and over the lower end of the loop 8, after which a pull upon the cloth brings both loops together and causes them to grip the cloth and prevent slipping thereof, the cloth being gripped proportionate to the amount of strain or pull coming thereon. The fasteners applied to the ends 4 admit of attachment of the cloth to the belt without the use of pins or buckles, which are very objectionable, and admit of adjustment of the cloth or attachment and detachment at will for any desired purpose.

In order to secure the best results, the cloth is approximately of the form shown in Fig. 2, V-shaped notches l1 being cutin opposite edges a short distance from one edge to form ends l2, the outer edges of which are inclined corresponding to the edges bordering upon the V-shaped notches, so as to provide the tapering ends to admit of the cloth being readily and conveniently attached to the ends 4in the manner stated. The ends 13, separated from the parts 12 by the V-shaped notches ll, are adapted to be folded inward upon the body portion of the cloth, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, after IOO 'tions 12 are comparatively thin and are de.

which the cloth is folded longitudinally to the requisite Width, the part having the ends 12 being doubled upon itself longitudinally, so as to inclose the part folded thereon, thereby providing the amount of material necessaryV to accomplish the desired end. By folding the cloth in the manner stated the end porvoid of the thickness or bulk of material necessary for the middle or aifeoted portion of the cloth when folded for use.

The device comprises a minimum number of parts and is sanitary, because accessible in every part for a thorough cleansing, and its formation is such as to obviate inconvenience or annoyance when worn.

The term cloth is used in a general sense to designate a protector of any kind for catching the discharge and is to be interpreted in this sense in theclaim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- In an appliance of the class described, a belt comprising front and rear sections and elastic means for connecting said sections, depending ends having elastic connection with the front and rear portion of the belt, means for attaching a cloth or protector to the belt consisting of companion loops of U form, the end portions of the side members of the said loops being bent to provide eyes and a rod secured to the depending ends of the belt and passing through the eyes of the U-shaped loops, the terminals of the said rod being also bent to form eyes to retain same and the loops in proper relation to each other, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THERESA MINARD. 

